BudgetTravel

So glad you were invited to do a forum! My husband and I will be in Washington, D.C. for one day as we transistion from NYC (Sept. 28-Oct. 4)to Boston, Mass. (Oct. 4-Oct. 12) for our 5th year wedding anniversary trip. My husband wants to visit the National Museums of: American History, Zoological Park, Air and Space and International Spy Museum. I want to do what I do in every city I visit, go Thrift Store shopping and eat. Question: Are there any good thrift stores in the area? I imagine we won't be able to do everything, what would you cut out? Are great budget restaurants an oxymoron in D.C.? And we've rented a car for the day, should we bail and take the BoltBus? Thanks in advance for your help. Shalisha

Jeff Dickey: Shalisha, good questions. Take the BoltBus for $15 if you're coming from NYC; after that, it's cheaper and easier to take the D.C. Metro or cabs than struggle with a car. I'd recommend you add the National Museum of American Art and National Portrait Gallery (housed in the same classic building) to the list. They were refurbished and reopened to the public in 2006, and are an incredible place to view the images and icons of notable figures from American politics, business, culture, entertainment and sports, and some of the country's best homegrown art as well. The American History Museum also demands a look, since it's had its own renovation and reopens in July, and the National Zoo opened the Asia Trail in 2006—an enjoyable stroll if you haven't seen it. By contrast, the collections of the Air and Space Museum and Intl. Spy Museum, while worthy, haven't changed as much in recent years, though the Air and Space Museum's more recent satellite branch in Virginia rewards a visit to get a look at a space shuttle, Concorde and the Enola Gay, among other super-sized attractions. For (somewhat upscale) secondhand and vintage clothes, Annie Creamcheese and Meeps Vintage Fashionette will do the trick, while for true thrifting, Ruff & Ready in Shaw has scads of old, fascinating antiques and various castoffs, and the neighborhood features similar stores in the blocks around the U Street/Civil War Memorial Metro stop, as well as the occasional flea market. The dusty but sizable thrift shop (name?) around 11th or 12th and H St NE is also worth a visit, though only in daytime as the area can get dicey at night.

Finally, not to worry: great budget restaurants can be found in the District, and include such favorites as the 18th and U Duplex Diner, Bukom Cafe and Amsterdam Falafelshop (all in Adams Morgan), Market Lunch or Las Placitas on Capitol Hill, many Asian diners in Chinatown, Pizza Paradiso or Sala Thai at Dupont Circle, Baked & Wired or Rocklands in Georgetown, and Julia's Empanadas, Firehook Bakery or Loeb's Deli downtown. Ben's Chili Bowl in Shaw is a longtime classic, of course, and Vace in Cleveland Park has great pizza and sandwiches.

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Brooklyn, N.Y.: I am planning to go to DC for a few days in early June. The main things I want to do is see the Nationals new stadium and visit the Holocaust Museum. Can you give me some suggestions on a few other things to do with my limited time? Can you also recommend a good area to get a hotel in that offers affordable rooms? Thanks, Michael

Jeff Dickey: Michael, any of the above recommendations— Smithsonian sites along the National Mall, newly opened Newseum, off-the-beaten-path museums, Lincoln Cottage, and so on—would be worth your time, though it doesn't sound like you have enough time to explore much beyond the Mall and downtown (Nationals Park's neighborhood isn't exactly tourist-friendly, yet). I'd suggest viewing the Declaration of Independence and Constitution at the National Archives, taking in a concert at the Kennedy Center—or a play at the Woolly Mammoth or Shakespeare theatres—or picking up the catch of the day at the Fish Wharf, aka the Maine Avenue Fish Market, the oldest fish market in the country. For a break from the city, you could try the expansive gardens of the National Arboretum, which also holds a collection of grand Capitol Columns that used to decorate the U.S. Capitol itself.

There's no one area of the District to find affordable rooms, though Adams Morgan has more affordable hotels/B&Bs than most. Names to check include Adam's Inn, Kalorama Guest House, and Windsor Park; elsewhere, Maison Orleans, the Allen Lee, Tabard Inn, Chester Arthur House, William Lewis House, and Woodley Park Guest House have affordable rates, though all rates in town can spike during May and June.

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Wilkesboro, N.C.: I read that the Bureau of Printing & Engraving opens according to the "alert status"--Is there a way to know ahead of time? And can I get tickets for my 81 year old parents ahead of time? Also do any other sights open & close due to the "alerts"?

Jeff Dickey: For the general tour of the Bureau—an always-popular option for D.C. visitors—you'll have to queue up as early as 8am during the high season (Mar-Aug) for tour tickets later that day. A better bet might be the Congressional/VIP tour, which you can arrange well in advance through your representative, and which gives a more behind-the-scenes view of what the Bureau does in the process of creating American currency. For the various color-coded levels used by the Department of Homeland Security, check the DHS website and call or visit the Bureau of Engraving and Printing site to find out current conditions (the site closes during an "Orange" alert).

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Washington D.C.: Other than taking the Tourmobile or something similar, is there an easier way than hoofing it to get from one end of the National Mall to the other? Thanks!

Jeff Dickey: Good question. The Metro only offers central stops running north-south (e.g., Smithsonian and Federal Triangle), so it's of little use for getting from, say, the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol. The #13 bus (A, B, F or G) serves most of the Mall (except the southwest side), connecting to Arlington National Cemetery and/or the Pentagon, while the DC Circulator tourist shuttle makes a loop around the museums of the eastern part of the Mall, as well as the Washington Monument, but only runs on weekends.

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